Return to the US Open
by Enhael
Summary: Fuji has become a photographer. When he's hired to cover the U.S. Open, he runs into a few familiar faces... Thrill Pair. T because of some language and possible slight violence in the future.
1. Beginning and Memories

Title: Return to the U.S. Open

Author: Enhael

Pairings: Thrill Pair (FujixRyoma)

Disclaimer: I don't own Prince of Tennis and all its characters. If I did, I wouldn't have to play with them in fanfictions.

Warnings: OOC, Shonen-Ai

Summary: Fuji has become a proffessional photographer. When he's hired to cover the U.S. Open, he runs into a few familiar faces... Thrill Pair

A/N: My first fanfiction. Ever. Forgive my current n00b-ness and my cliché-ness. And extreme OOC-ness. I'll get better as time goes on. Hopefully.

**Return to the U.S. Open**

Part One: Beginning and Memories

Enhael

Echizen Ryoma. The last time Fuji Syusuke had heard that name was the year he had graduated from high school. The last time had actually spoken to the boy had been the day after Seigaku had won the Nationals.

His everlasting smile turned bitter at the memory.

"_Echizen.... No, Ryoma." The honey-haired boy glanced nervously at his burgundy-haired best friend, giving him the thumbs-up and mouthing the words, _you can do it!

"_What is it, sempai? Practice is gonna start soon, so...."_

"_I...love you."_

Fuji had taken his rejection hard. Ryoma's face had been blank, but Fuji could tell he wasn't really taking him seriously. Fuji had quickly stated that Ryoma didn't need to remember such a thing. He also made it sound like a joke. Later he got a huge lecture from Eiji, laps from Tezuka, and was stuck with Inui's continuous reminder that now there was a 100% chance Fuji wouldn't get the chance to confess again, but that didn't matter to him. As long as Ryoma didn't completely hate him, Fuji would be fine with him not knowing he felt something stronger than friendship for him. Of course, when he told Eiji this, the energetic boy had cracked up, saying something about sadists shouldn't joke. Fuji slyly hinted that he knew about his relationship with Oishi. That made Eiji shut up.

But Fuji hadn't had the heart to face Ryoma after his confession. Not only that, but when he accidentally ran into the boy, Ryoma always turned around and walked away. Fuji was crushed that the object of his affection would rather be late to class than face him for more than a second.

Needless to say, tennis practice in high school had been hell. Tezuka had somehow found out about the incident and took pity upon the tensai, but, naturally, he couldn't keep the two away from each other during tournaments. Fuji knew this was affecting him on the court, but didn't know how bad it was until he found he couldn't preform Swallow Return correctly.

And so, although he felt like a coward for doing so, Fuji quit tennis and took up photography.

His friends—mostly Eiji—bothered him about returning to the team ("Fujiko! We're not the same without you! Even Tezuka seems a bit off!"), but to no avail. Every time he played tennis, watched tennis, thought about tennis...he was reminded of one cap-wearing boy. Even Eiji eventually gave up.

After high school, Fuji went to an art college in America and graduated top of his class with a degree in photography. He knew he couldn't run away forever, but being an up-and-coming photographer was time-consuming. He was happy to find he didn't have many opportunities to dwell on the past.

Of course, that was before his boss came to him that day.

_"Fuji."_

_ Fuji looked up from reviewing the photographs he had taken for a wedding. He was surprised to see his boss standing before him, a small smile on her face. That smile screamed "I've got a good job for you, and you're going to take it no matter what!". _

_ "Yes?" he smiled back. "Another job?"_

_ "A request from one of those people in charge of the U.S. Open! He wants you to follow one of the players participating!" _

_ "Golf or...tennis?" He sincerely hoped it wouldn't be the second. Anything having to do with tennis in the slightest reminded him of that one day._

_ "Tennis," she chirped. At his unusually crestfallen expression, she narrowed her fierce eyes. "Fuji Syusuke, I don't care if you have something against it. This is a good opportunity for both of us and you will take it."_

_ "But why me? Can't Keith do it?" He was desperately searching for a way out._

_ "No." He winced at the sharp answer. "Apparently this person wants you and no one else."_

_ "B-but, why?"_

_ "He said something about someone important named Atobe Kego. I'm guessing this Atobe guy has some sort of influence over him."_

_ "A-Atobe?" _

_ Fuji's eyes flew open in surprise. He hadn't heard that name in almost four years. The last time he had heard from the diva, he had been bragging about taking over his family's company. If he was involved with this.... Well, Fuji wasn't sure what that meant, but he wasn't really willing to find out._

_ "Do you know the name?"_

_ "Ah, yes. He's a former friend. He holds influences over a lot of people...." Then a thought struck him. If Atobe knew about Ryoma.... And Ryoma was.... "Who would I be covering, by the way?"_

_ His boss checked a piece of paper._

_ "Ah, someone named Ryoma Echizen. Apparently he's Japanese, too, so that's probably why they wanted you.... Hey, are you alright? You look really pale."_

_ "I...really don't want to do this...." His voice was faint._

_ She sighed._

_ "Too bad. Fuji, I hate threatening people, but either you do this or you're fired."_

_ "Nani?"_

_ "English, Fuji."_

_ "A-are you serious?"_

_ One look on her face told him she was. Deadly serious. He knew that look, too. He had never been on the receiving end of it, but it was dangerous. Very dangerous. This was her I'll-ruin-your-career-if-you-say-no look. The worst part was, she would actually do it._

And that was why Fuji Syusuke was waiting in the airport, camera at the ready, for the airplane that would return the love of his life to him.


	2. Reunion and Doubts

Title: Return to the U.S. Open

Author: Enhael

Pairings: Thrill Pair (FujixRyoma)

Disclaimer: As I said before, I don't own Prince of Tennis and all its characters. If I did, Sakuno would say something other than "Ryoma-kun..." during his matches. Does that aggravate anyone else? Oh, but I own Kathy, even though she makes me mad, too....

Warnings: OOC, Shonen-Ai

Summary: Fuji has become a sports photographer. When he's hired to cover the U.S. Open, he runs into a few familiar faces... Thrill Pair

A/N: Mm, part two already.... I must have no life xD. Still as OOC as ever. Actually, even more so... Maybe I'm not getting better, but worse? But, then again, people change with time, so you never know....

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**Return to the U.S. Open**

Part Two: Reunion and Doubts

Enhael

It's not like Ryoma would remember him. He didn't know that the tensai had become a photographer. That cheered Fuji up slightly. Enough to make him smile again.

"Ah, that's him!"

"Really? Truly? That's Ryoma Echizen? He's more good-looking than I imagined!"

At the squealing of his former teammate's name, Fuji turned. There he was. Echizen Ryoma. Even more beautiful than the day he confessed.

He still wore the same cocky smirk on his face. He still had a slightly-feminine build. He had the same delicate, pink lips. And he still had the emerald-tinted black hair and golden, cat-like eyes that Fuji had loved so much. But he was different in many other ways.

He was taller yet still shorter than Fuji, albeit by a lot less than before. His hair was a tad longer than Fuji recalled. He wore a new cap similar to the one Fuji remembered, but not quite the same. Ryoma's skin was a tad paler, but not in a sickly way. The single bag he carried at the moment, no doubt containing most of his tennis gear, was different than before. Fuji assumed it held new racquets; the old ones wouldn't suit his needs anymore.

But his eyes.

At first glance they had seemed the same. They were indeed the same pools of liquid gold that he remembered. But they burned with a fire of determination much stronger than before. They were no longer the eyes of a little boy, but that of a young man, despite the lashes that were still long and thick. They were beautiful.

It was then that he realized those eyes were on him. Those lips he had wanted to touch so badly were slightly parted in a look of adorable surprise. Fuji's heart skipped a beat and he felt his face grow warm. Did he remember him?

"What's he looking at?" someone asked the person next to her, who shook his head in equal confusion.

"Fuji-sempai...."

Although the airport wasn't quiet, Fuji heard his name clearly whispered. Why? Because the beautiful young man had somehow approached him without him noticing. Fuji started when he realized this was the closest he had been to Ryoma since he had confessed.

"Echizen..." was all Fuji could say.

"Fuji! What are you waiting for! Take a picture!"

Fuji winced at his boss's sharp tone.

_Oh yeah, she tagged along..._ he thought bitterly. He had forgotten she was behind him.

"'Picture'?" Ryoma raised an eyebrow as he repeated Fuji's boss.

"Hai."

"English, Fuji," his boss reminded him automatically. Apparently she forgot that Ryoma was Japanese. "Take a picture already."

"Who's that, Fuji-sempai?" Ryoma nodded in the direction of the now-frustrated woman.

"Kathy Freeweather. My boss." _He's acting like nothing happened...._

"Fuji, take a picture or I'll fire you!"

A smile broke out on Ryoma's face. Fuji felt like the girls who squealed at the sight. Of course, he didn't want to let Ryoma know he was still in love with him. Besides, Fuji wasn't really the squealing type.

"Freeweather-san, I'm sorry, it's my fault that Fuji-sempai isn't taking a picture. I started up a conversation first." He turned his smile on Kathy, who immediately flushed.

"U-um, it's quite alright, Mr. Echizen! W-we can take p-pictures later at the restaurant!"

Fuji would have blinked if it would require him opening his eyes. He had never heard Kathy stutter before. He ventured a glance at Ryoma, only to see a smirk on his face that the others didn't notice.

_It seems my former position as the tennis-playing sadist has been filled, _Fuji thought, his smile widening slightly.

Ryoma winked at him when he felt his gaze. Fuji managed to hold back his blush, but just barely.

"That sounds fine," Ryoma murmured.

_He's good._ Fuji was impressed. Even so, a part of him wished Ryoma would give him the same treatment as Kathy. Even if it wasn't real flirting, it would still be nice....

The three of them started off in the direction of the baggage claim.

"Mr. Echizen?" Kathy seemed to have regained her composure. Or she was just acting.

"Yes?"

"What does 'sempai' mean? You called Fuji 'Fuji-sempai', so...."

Ryoma gave Fuji a questioning look that plainly read, _You didn't tell her?_ Fuji merely looked away.

"When you add 'sempai' to someone's name, it basically means they are your senior," Ryoma explained.

Fuji hadn't expected Ryoma to respond. The old Ryoma wouldn't have. He most likely would have responded with something rather bratty. Fuji's smile widened again. _He's matured._

"You know Fuji?" Kathy looked at Fuji with something resembling jealousy. Fuji's smile gained a whole lot of sympathy.

"Ah, hai." Ryoma nodded. "We were on the same tennis team in junior high. And part of high school."

"Fuji played tennis." She sounded doubtful.

"Hai. He was the second best on the team. Well, maybe third best if you include me." This statement was accompanied by a short laugh that caused Fuji's heart to flutter. "He was called a tensai, or prodigy."

"Really." Kathy's voice still contained doubt. "Fuji. A tennis prodigy. Then why does he work as a photographer now?"

"Hm, I dunno. Ask him."

"Saa," Fuji answered.

"English, Fuji," Kathy scolded.

"He's being secretive, Miss Kathy—is it alright if I call you that?" Ryoma tilted his head to the side.

_He's better than Eiji at being cute, _Fuji thought. This time he couldn't hold back the slight flush on his face. Luckily, neither Ryoma nor Kathy noticed.

"Just Kathy is fine."

Fuji noted that her voice was more of a squeak now. He felt a twinge of discomfort at this. What if Ryoma started to become very friendly with Kathy? Then it would be over for Fuji.... Not like it wasn't over already....

"I'll call you Kathy if you call me Ryoma."

Fuji's eyes shot open. Did he hear right? He was letting this hellish woman call him by his first name? They had just met! What about Fuji? Ryoma had know Fuji since the tensai was 14 and had never once allowed him to call him "Ryoma". Except for the day of the confession, of course. And even then, Fuji had addressed him by his first name without permission.

Fuji nearly gasped. Could it be that Ryoma wasn't pretending to flirt with Kathy? Was he serious? Fuji's ever-present smile faded slightly.

_No. I can't let Ryoma see my weakness. Besides, did I really think I still had a chance? This is for the best, right?_

And yet, a part of him wanted to scream. Wanted to cry. Wanted to pull Ryoma into an affectionate embrace and tell him he loved him.... But he didn't. He just stood there with that fake smile on his face, knowing that Ryoma was untouchable to him.

* * *

Enhael's Comments:

Ah, poor Fuji.... But it's not over yet, so he still has a shot, ne?

Definitely not going to update twice in one day again. I had already half-finished this one when I put up part one. So, if anyone is actually waiting for this crazy thing to update, I'm not sure if I'll even have it up tomorrow. In fact, I probably won't. I had a lot of spare time on my hands since I'm sick, but I might push myself back to school tomorrow.

Hm. Who else from the old gang pop up? Suggestions are welcome ^^

Ja ne.


	3. Match and Smiles

Title: Return to the U.S. Open

Author: Enhael

Pairings: Thrill Pair (FujixRyoma)

Disclaimer: Yet again, I don't own Prince of Tennis or any of its characters. I own Kathy, though.

Warnings: OOC, Shonen-Ai

Summary: Fuji has become a sports photographer. When he's hired to cover the U.S. Open, he runs into a few familiar faces... Thrill Pair

A/N: Part three. How long am I going to make this? Even _I _don't know. Hm.... I'm glad that some people like it, though ^^

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Reviewers:

ryoka-chan—Thanks =] And yeah, a shy Fuji isn't very common.... But it's fun to write, I guess? I'm glad that you think it's funny ^^

BleuFleur—You're catching on quickly ^^ I wish I could return the whole gang.... I think it would be fun to see some of their reactions.... Maybe I can work it out...somehow xD

bunnykim89—Yes, poor Fuji.... I'll make sure he stops getting bullied by Kathy and starts getting some Ryoma-attention soon. Oh, and thanks ^^

chibisuke1—Hehe, thank you so much. I'm glad you like it.

truckerhat52—I'm glad you like it, too ^^ I was afraid I didn't set it up too well, so thanks for proving me wrong.

**

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Return to the U.S. Open**

Part Three: Match and Smiles

Enhael

"I won't believe it until I see it."

"Saa."

"Fuji.... I'll fire you."

"That should be illegal.... Firing someone because they won't prove they can play tennis..." Fuji murmured, just loud enough that Ryoma, who was seated nearby, could hear.

The tennis professional quickly disguised his snort of laughter as a cough. Fuji's smile grew.

It had been two days since Ryoma had arrived in America. Two boring days of waiting for the object of his affection to get over jet lag. Two boring days of filling out paperwork that he didn't even read. He almost never followed their rules anyway, and they knew it. Why the kept sending him the annoying sheets of legality statements and who knows what else, Fuji would never know.

Now that Ryoma was over his jet lag and Fuji had finished signing something-or-other, they might get to spend some sort of time together. As the photographer and the photographed, of course. No doubt they would almost always be joined by Kathy and some journalist named Aaron Yates that they had yet to meet.

But at that moment, Fuji wasn't exactly dwelling on meeting Aaron. He was debating on if he should risk losing his job or if he should make a fool out of himself due to rusty tennis skills. Of course, there was a chance that he couldn't play at all. The last time he had played, he hadn't been able to preform the Swallow Return. Maybe not just his Triple Counters, but his other special moves—no, his ability to play altogether...had disappeared as well? The thought worried him, even though he had given up tennis years ago.

"I guess...I could come out of retirement for one match...." _And see if I can still play...._

"With who?" Kathy demanded, arms folded.

"Fuji-sempai, how about a match with me?"

Fuji and Kathy both looked at Ryoma in surprise. Obviously, they had different reasons to do so.

Kathy believed there was no way in hell that Fuji could last a minute with a professional tennis player. In fact, she thought there was no way in hell Fuji could last a minute with _any _tennis player. He just didn't seem the sporty type. Too girly-looking.

Fuji, on the other hand, hadn't had a match with Ryoma since Junior High. And even then, that match was still left unfinished. If Fuji remembered correctly, the score had been 4-3 in his favor. The match had been canceled because of a storm. They never got around to finishing it as they got caught up with the tournaments. The day Fuji confessed was the day they were going to finally end their match. That didn't happen due to obvious reasons.

"A new one? Or are we going to continue our old one?" Fuji finally asked.

"Let's start over." Fuji wondered if Ryoma's statement had a double meaning to it.

"I'm watching." Kathy's tone made it obvious the tennis player and the photographer had no say in the matter.

With a heavy heart, Fuji reminded himself that Ryoma would have suggested it anyway. After all, she had spent the most time with him so far. And the way he looked at her sometimes.... In their Seigaku days, Fuji had often dreamed of that same soft look being directed at him instead of Karupin. He ignored the fact that his jealousy had once been aimed at a cat and stood up.

"Well, if we go now, we might be done in time for dinner." _I want to get this over with quickly._

"Hai, let's go." Ryoma also stood.

"Ah, wait up, Ryoma!"

The fact that Kathy hadn't added his name didn't go unnoticed by Fuji. He debated about mentioning it, then decided it wasn't worth the risk of being fired and followed them out of the hotel lobby.

Fuji had to borrow one of Ryoma's racquets. He had left his own back at his parents' house before moving to America. It wasn't a perfect fit, but it was surprisingly close. After a few practice swings, Fuji made his way to the farther side of the court. He only let the nervousness slip into his smile when his back was to Ryoma.

As he waited not-so-patiently for Kathy and Ryoma to finish up their discussion, Fuji examined the racquet in his hand. It was a Prince Michael Chang Titanium racquet. The same as he had used in his Seigaku days. He glanced sideways at Ryoma as he strode onto the court. From this distance it looked as if his racquet was a Dynabeam Grandea. The same type of Bridgestone as before.

_That's odd.... A coincidence? It seems to convenient to be one, but there's no way he would remember something like that. And besides, how could he know I would be here? Maybe he just likes different brands of racquets? Ah, I'm just confusing myself._ _Maybe I'll ask him later...._

"Ne, Fuji-sempai. Smooth or Rough?"

Fuji was snapped out of his train of thought. "Ah, smooth."

He watched Ryoma spin the racquet. It fell so the "R" on the handle was upside down.

"It's rough," Ryoma stated the obvious. Fuji noticed his eyes flickered over to Kathy.

_I see. It's for her benefit, I guess. I forgot that she doesn't know anything about tennis...._ Fuji wasn't happy about this.

"Fuji-sempai. I don't know why you quit, but I'm not going to go easy on you just because you did." Was that anger in his voice? As soon as it had come, it was gone, replaced by his old cocky attitude. "Ne, let's have a bet, Fuji-sempai."

"A bet?"

"If I win—which I will—I get one favor from you. You have to do it without question, too. And if you win—which you won't—you get the same." Ryoma's smirk was somewhat dangerous.

"Sounds interesting." Fuji struggled to keep his voice steady. _That old smirk of his suits him well even now.... And a favor from Ryoma, eh? I guess I should try to win.... _"Shall we begin?"

"If you're ready to lose."

_He's still cocky on the courts._

They retreated to their respective positions. Fuji noticed Ryoma was holding the racquet in his right hand.

_So it's going to be a Twist Serve? Well, not necessarily, but there's a good chance it will be. With some luck I can return it._

And the match began.

It had been the longest match Fuji had ever played. Even though he had lost the first two games, mostly due to Ryoma's improved Twist Serve and all-around sharpened talent, Fuji had managed to come back in the third, causing Ryoma to lose his service game. It was then that he lost himself in the game. He didn't remember too much of the rest of it, other than he had been able to do a perfect Swallow Return. By the end, his confidence in his tennis abilities had returned. He was surprised that that had happened, seeing as the reason he had quit tennis had been Ryoma.

The final score had been 7-5. Ryoma won.

A roaring cheer filled the courts. Fuji looked around from his collapsed position on the ground. Ryoma, who was in the same exhausted state, looked just as confused as Fuji felt. They both had slipped into their tennis world for two. Neither had noticed the large crowd gather.

Fuji turned his confused gaze on Ryoma, only to see the professional player was grinning at him. Fuji felt his heart leap into his throat. He turned away, even though his flush could be considered from too much tennis instead of too much Ryoma.

"You owe me a favor."

"That I do." _I forgot all about the bet. _Fuji smiled. "What would you like me to do, Echizen?" _I wish I didn't have to call him that._

"Saa," he imitated Fuji. Both smiles grew wider. "I'd like you to--"

"Ryoma!"

If Fuji wasn't Fuji, he would have scowled. Well, that and he didn't want his good mood to be ruined by being fired. Instead, he let his smile fade slightly as he watched Kathy run over to Ryoma.

Fuji's smile disappeared altogether when he saw Ryoma's smile.

It was the brightest Fuji had ever seen on him. And it screamed of fondness.

* * *

Enhael's Comments

Sorry about the short-ness of this one. And the poor quality. I'll do better on the next one.

Mm, I'm so mean to Fuji.... Ah, but don't worry! This _is _a FujixRyoma fic after all! Well, the way it's going it might turn into a Ryoma x Fuji fic instead... Haha, the not-so-chibi chibi in charge, eh?

Sorry about not going into detail about the match between the two. I don't write them well at all, but don't worry, once I get better I'll do my best to write them. I mean, we still have the U.S. Open to deal with, eh?

I'm almost afraid at how long this will be...

Well, judging by how sick I feel, I might be out of school for a while, so maybe I _will _update every day... Or at least most days.

There's going to be a familiar face in the next chapter! Oh, it _will _be fun ^^

Ja ne!


	4. Friends and Misunderstandings

Title: Return to the U.S. Open

Author: Enhael

Pairings: Thrill Pair (FujixRyoma)

Disclaimer: I don't own Prince of Tennis or any of its characters. I just play with them. I own Kathy and Aaron, however. Not like that's really something to be proud of....

Warnings: OOC, Shonen-Ai (Don't worry, I'm getting there....)

Summary: Fuji has become a sports photographer. When he's hired to cover the U.S. Open, he runs into a few familiar faces... Thrill Pair

A/N: Part four. This one will actually move the story along. I promise.

* * *

**Return to the U.S. Open**

Part Four: Friends and Misunderstandings

Enhael

Fuji rubbed at his eyes. Sure, he was used to camera flashes, but not this many all at once. He hadn't realized how popular Ryoma was. Then again, he _was _one of the younger players in the U.S. Open. That and his name wasn't well-known in the States. They obviously thought of him as the underdog.

It took Fuji a while to remember why he had agreed to attend the Q&A in the first place. And why there was even a Question and Answer session in the first place.

"_Ryoma has his first official Q&A tomorrow," Kathy informed Fuji._

"_Is that normal? For a tennis player to have his own question and answer meeting? They usually don't get this much attention in Japan..." Fuji mused._

"_It's rare, but not unheard of. Apparently someone leaked some information to the public that was rather interesting," Kathy explained._

"_Something interesting about Echizen?" Fuji was curious himself._

"_You'll find out when you're there taking pictures."_

"_Let me guess, if I refuse, I get fired?"_

_Kathy nodded before adding, "Along with your whole family. I will track them and their employers down and--"_

"_I think I get it," Fuji interrupted hastily._

So there he was, in a seat specially reserved for him. Apparently Ryoma had requested it himself. Come to think of it, Fuji still needed to speak to Ryoma about something; the younger man had never told him what the favor he wanted was. Maybe that was why his seat was so close? So that Ryoma could speak to him after all the questions were answered.

Lost in his thoughts, Fuji didn't notice the room had filled up until someone jabbed him with the eraser end of a pencil. Well, what _would _be the eraser end if the eraser hadn't been completely chewed off. Fuji glanced over at the grinning young man that had jabbed him.

The young man had slightly wavy, ginger hair with a few strands loose here and there. Combined with wide, long-lashed green eyes, the man seemed similar to a child. The pencil and notepad he held made it obvious he was some sort of reporter. Maybe a journalist.

"You must be Syusuke!" He had a cheerful enough aura about him. Fuji could forgive the jabbing just this once. "Or do you prefer Mr. Fuji? Or what is it in Japan? Fuji-can?"

"It's 'san', but Syusuke is fine." _It seems as if that will be easier for him to remember. _"What's your name?"

"Ah, forgive my manners." The man ginned in an embarrassed manner. "My name's Aaron. Aaron Yates. I think your boss mentioned me?"

"Yes, she did," smiled Fuji. Aaron seemed nice enough. He reminded Fuji of Eiji in a way.

"Damn, she seemed like a crab on the phone. Pardon the language."

Fuji let out a trill of laughter. Out of the corner of his eye, he thought Ryoma was looking at him, but passed it off as a trick of the light.

"She really is," Fuji agreed, a true smile on his face. "Just yesterday she threatened to fire me and my whole family if I didn't attend this Q&A."

"She's worse than I thought." Aaron shook his head sadly, then winked. "I'm glad you came, though. Makes this a hell of a lot less boring!"

"Same to you." Fuji decided he liked Aaron. "Oh, it's going to start now."

The two turned back around, just in time for Ryoma to pick one of the reporters.

"Mr. Echizen! Are the rumors true? Do you really have a significant other?" he cried out, waving a pen excitedly.

Fuji's eyes shot open at this question. When did this happen? Was this what Kathy was talking about? If Kathy was his girlfriend, it would explain her recent good mood.

_No. It's fine. I already decided it was for the best. Besides, this shouldn't be that unexpected. The way he they've been looking at each other lately, it was sure to happen sooner or later. Just...sooner than later, I guess...._

Fuji was so distracted by his thoughts that he almost missed the blush that crossed Ryoma's face. He was glad he didn't. A blushing Ryoma is a rarity. In fact, this was the first time Fuji had seen him blush. It was well worth the wait.

"It's unrequited."

Those two words caused immediate silence in the room. Silence that was followed soon after by a roar of questions, melding into one another so none could be deciphered.

Fuji was one of three people who were silent throughout the whole affair, Ryoma and Tezuka being the others.

Wait.

Tezuka?

Fuji couldn't hold in a little gasp. Sure enough, there was Tezuka, calmly leaning against the wall next to Aaron's seat.

The first thing Fuji noticed was that Tezuka looked almost exactly the same as he had in high school. The only difference seemed to be the new frameless glasses. Well, upon closer inspection, he may have grown an inch or two.

The second thing about Tezuka that Fuji noticed was that he was staring at Fuji. Not Ryoma, but Fuji. He nodded once to the tensai and made his way towards the exit. Fuji understood. Tezuka wanted him to follow.

With a last glance at Ryoma, who had pulled his cap over his flushed face, Fuji apologized to Aaron for leaving early, and managed to escape the room unscathed. An amazing feat in that sort of situation.

The former teammates had been sitting on a park bench in silence for five minutes already, engaged in a soundless greeting.

"Tezuka, why are you here?" Fuji finally ventured.

Seigaku's former tennis captain folded his arms and waited a moment before answering.

"Atobe."

"Pardon?" Whatever Fuji had expected, it was far from that.

"He informed me of the situation at hand," Tezuka elaborated.

"What situation?" Fuji asked innocently. Behind that smile of his, he was seething. He had forgotten that Atobe had been the start of this whole thing with Ryoma.

"Don't play dumb, Fuji." Tezuka's voice was sharp. Sharper than normal.

"Sorry." Fuji turned his head away. "I don't really want to talk about it right now, Tezuka." _I don't want you to see me cry...._

"Fuji...." Tezuka sighed. "Look at me." Fuji hesitated before doing so, knowing that the single tear running down his cheek wouldn't go unnoticed. "It's alright to cry."

Those four words were enough to cause the usually-smiling photographer to break down on his former captain's shoulder.

"Better?"

"Saa...."

"That didn't sound convincing."

"Neither did your words of comfort."

Tezuka said nothing to that.

"It was a joke," Fuji told him, offering a half-hearted smile.

"Not a very good one."

Fuji's laugh was a hoarse from crying so hard. He still couldn't believe that Tezuka had come all the way to America to comfort him. In fact, he was positive he didn't. Whatever Tezuka was doing here didn't matter to Fuji at the moment. All that mattered was that he finally had someone to talk to. And who better than Tezuka? They knew each other pretty well, having been teammates and, eventually, best friends. Not to mention, Tezuka was more of a listener than a talker, anyway.

Fuji leaned on his friend's shoulder. He hadn't cried that hard in years. It had left him exhausted. Tezuka stiffened slightly at the physical contact, but awkwardly patted Fuji's head all the same.

"Thank you, Tezuka."

"Fuji-sempai and Buchou? This is unexpected," a scathing voice commented.

Both seated men blinked. They hadn't noticed Ryoma's presence until he had spoken. Fuji tried to make sense of Ryoma's words. Tezuka, on the other hand, suddenly pushed Fuji away from him.

"Tezuka?" Fuji stared at his best friend. "Is something wrong?"

"What, no first names? Isn't that a little strange?"

Then it hit Fuji. Why Tezuka pushed him away and why Ryoma was acting like that. He hadn't realized that he and Tezuka had looked so intimate from a passerby's point of view.

"I knew it. Unrequited."

Fuji froze at Ryoma's whispered words, too surprised to stop him from running away.

* * *

Enhael's Comments:

My GOSH I'm cruel to those I love! Maybe I'm the next Fuji? O_o 'Kay, bad joke, you can hit me for that one.

Well, so much for not putting up two parts in one day. But I'm really having fun with this.... And I'm not swamped with make-up work yet, so I have nothing else to do while lying in bed all day.

Mm, in case it's confusing, Tezuka doesn't have romantic feelings towards Fuji or vice-versa (in this fanfiction at least). I dunno, don't wanna raise false hopes.... Gomen!

Hm, the story's moving along. I feel like I rushed it a bit, though. And I'm not so sure Tezuka would be _that _understanding. But he does care about his pals, so maybe?

Ah. Aaron. He'll play a part later on. And the main reason Tezuka is in the U.S...well, that will be revealed soon, too.

Oh, it may seem like it's close to being over with Ryoma saying that sort of thing, but I've still got a little ways to go.... You'll see why.

The actual U.S. Open draws near! And so does some Thrill Pair fun (finally ;P )

And Fuji finally has a _good _day.

Ja ne.


	5. PREVIEW

Title: Return to the U.S. Open

Author: Enhael

Pairings: Thrill Pair (FujixRyoma)

Disclaimer: I don't own Prince of Tennis or any of its characters. If I did, the manga art would suck. I do own Aaron, Kathy, and Gran Louise.

Warnings: OOC, Shonen-Ai (Soon...?)

Summary: Fuji has become a sports photographer. When he's hired to cover the U.S. Open, he runs into a few familiar faces... Thrill Pair

A/N: **I AM SO SORRY TO YOU PEOPLE WHO WERE READING THIS! A HUGE LOAD OF CRAP CAME UP AND I DIDN'T HAVE TIME FOR THIS UNTIL NOW! **

And as a way to beg for your forgiveness, here's a preview of Part 5 (which should be done either today or tomorrow). The finished product may not be exactly the same, but the idea will be similar if it's changed....

* * *

**Return to the U.S. Open**

Part Five PREVIEW

Enhael

_"Mr. Echizen! Are the rumors true? Do you really have a significant other?" _

_"It's unrequited." _

_"What, no first names? Isn't that a little strange?" _

_"I knew it. Unrequited." _

_I couldn't find the strength to follow him... _Fuji mused, absently chewing at the tip of his pencil.

"You'll die of lead poisoning that way, Syusuke!"

Brought out of his pensive thoughts, Fuji dropped the now-blunt pencil in surprise. He hadn't been expecting a visitor, much less Aaron.

"Aaron?"

"Geez, man, you sound pretty lifeless right now." When Fuji made no comment in his defense, Aaron went on. "How 'bout you join me for lunch!"

Fuji let out a heavy sigh.

"This isn't the best time, Aaron...."

"Sometimes the best times arethe wort times." Aaron nodded sagely.

_Well, he might be able to cheer me up a bit_, Fuji thought, letting a half-smile grace his lips.

- - -

Fuji looked around him. The place Aaron had chose was rather unusual for this part of town. Among the large, commercial restaurants, La Fleur Rouge stood out like a sore thumb.

True to its name, La Fleur Rouge's decorations mainly consisted of various species of flowers in countless shades of red. The occasional splotch of yellow or white broke up the crimson mass nicely. Buttercream tablecloths thrown over circular tables contrasted nicely with the cherrywood flooring.

Some would find it overwhelming. Others—such as Fuji and Aaron—found it to be a rare work of art with a friendly atmosphere. Even if there may have been a bit too much red.

Fuji let out a low whistle.

"I know, right?" Aaron grinned from ear to ear. "It's self-seating so let's grab that table by the window before someone else does!"

When the two were settled, an elderly lady with the face of everyone's dream grandmother and a natural warmth walked up to them.

"_Bonjour!_" was her cheerful greeting. She turned to Aaron. "Aaron, dear! It looks like you brought a different friend today! Introduce me?"

"Gran, this is Syusuke Fuji. Syusuke, this is my gran, Louise!" Aaron stood to give his grandmother a loving peck on the cheek which she received with an even wider grin. It was easy to see that they were related; they had the same smile.

"Pleased to meet you." And he meant it. A rare occurrence for him in America.

"He's a sweetheart!" crooned Gran Louise. "Lucky New York is more kind to same-sex lovers than some other states!" (1)

"_Gran_!" Aaron blushed madly. "D-don't say weird things! Syusuke and I are just friends, right?"

"Saa," Fuji said, a sadistic smile on his lips.

Gran Loise squealed in delight. Aaron's face drained of all color. And Tezuka gave Fuji a look that clearly said _What on earth are you doing?_

"Tezuka?!" _How does he know where I am all the time? _

"Fujiko, I'm here too~!"

"Careful, Eiji! You might hurt him!"

Fuji was suddenly tackled from his seat by a young man. His blue eyes, about six inches from Fuji's own, sparkled cheerfully; the right had a rectangular bandage a few inches below it. His burgundy hair was partially hidden by a clashing highlighter-green cap.

Dashing after him was a dapper young man with a rather odd haircut. His storm-gray eyes radiated worry and concern for the fallen photographer. Judging from his heavy breathing, he had been chasing his companion for quite a while.

There was no mistaking it. Kikumaru Eiji and Oishi Shuichiro were in America.

* * *

(1) I dunno if that's true or not.... But the US Open took place in New York so for the sake of love, let's pretend, shall we?

(2) In some pictures they look blue, in some they look gray, and in others they look brown. AbsoluteAnime said they were blue, so I chose that one. Anyone know if that's right?

Some more familiar faces.... But why?

All will become clear soon enough. Like, when Chapter 5 is up in full.

Yeah.

Sorry again.

Ja ne!


	6. Flowers and Information

Title: Return to the U.S. Open

Author: Enhael

Pairings: Thrill Pair (FujixRyoma? RyomaxFuji? I dunno anymore TT_TT)

Disclaimer: I don't own Prince of Tennis or any of its characters. If I did... let's just say it wouldn't be pretty. I do own Aaron, Kathy, and Gran Louise.

Warnings: OOC, Shonen-Ai (Soon...?)

Summary: Fuji has become a sports photographer. When he's hired to cover the U.S. Open, he runs into a few familiar faces... Thrill Pair

A/N: Full version of Part Five~! Gosh it turned kinda long....

* * *

Reviewers:

Tango Dancer: Hehe, glad you're liking it so far ^^

what the gaaah: Thanks so much~! And I'll try to work on my grammar ^^

yullenXneko-chans: Thanks! As for your question... I dunno at the moment, to tell the truth. It started out as FujixRyoma, though. But things keep on changing around in my mind....

mjadzia: Thank you for the info on Oishi's eyes! I was taking a guess there. The picture I was looking at was kinda low-quality.... Heh....

* * *

**Return to the U.S. Open**

Part One of Part 5: Flowers and Information

Enhael

_"Mr. Echizen! Are the rumors true? Do you really have a significant other?" _

_"It's unrequited." _

_"What, no first names? Isn't that a little strange?" _

_"I knew it. Unrequited." _

_I couldn't find the strength to follow him... _Fuji mused, absently chewing at the tip of his pencil.

"You'll die of lead poisoning that way, Syusuke."

The now-blunt pencil dropped to the floor as Fuji's mouth opened slightly in surprise. He hadn't been expecting a visitor, much less Aaron.

"Aaron?"

"Geez, man, you sound pretty lifeless right now." When Fuji made no comment in his defense, Aaron went on. "How 'bout you join me for lunch!"

Fuji let out a heavy sigh.

"This isn't the best time, Aaron...."

"Sometimes the worst times arethe best times," Aaron nodded sagely.

_Well, he might be able to cheer me up a bit_, Fuji thought, letting a half-smile grace his lips.

- - -

Fuji looked around him. The place Aaron had chose was rather unusual for this part of town. Among the large, commercial restaurants, La Fleur Rouge stood out like a sore thumb.

True to its name, La Fleur Rouge's decorations mainly consisted of various species of flowers in countless shades of red. The occasional splotch of yellow or white broke up the crimson mass nicely. Buttercream tablecloths thrown over circular tables created a beautiful contrast with the cherrywood flooring.

Some would find it overwhelming. Others—such as Fuji and Aaron—found it to be a rare work of art with a friendly atmosphere. Even if there may have been a bit too much red.

Fuji let out a low whistle.

"I know, right?" Aaron grinned from ear to ear. "It's self-seating so let's grab that table by the window before someone else does!"

When the two were settled, an elderly lady with the face of everyone's dream grandmother and a warm smile walked up to them.

"_Bonjour!_" was her cheerful greeting. She turned to Aaron. "Aaron, dear! You brought a friend today! Introduce me?"

"Gran, this is Syusuke Fuji. Syusuke, this is my Gran Louise!" Aaron stood to give his grandmother a loving peck on the cheek which she received with an even wider grin. It was easy to see they were related; they had the same smile.

"Pleased to meet you." And he meant it.

"He's a sweetheart!" crooned Gran Louise. "Oh, forgive my manners! What will you two have?"

"Well, Aaron was raving about the coffee here on the way over, so I'd like to try some of that, please," was the photographer's polite answer after looking over the menu she had handed him. It was all in French.

His usually-fake smile gained a hint of legitimacy to it. It was so easy to like the Yates family. Warmth and kindness must run in their blood or something.

"And coffee and a Crèpe Choco-Banane-Coco for Aaron, right?" Gran Louise smiled brightly at her grandson.

"Gran knows me so well!" Aaron said cheerily.

"I'll be back in a little bit!" Flashing one last smile at the two of them, the elderly lady maneuvered her way through the maze of tables.

"'Crèpe Choco-Banane-Coco'?" Fuji raised a questioning eyebrow.

"It's a French dessert. The name means 'Chocolate-Banana-Coconut Crèpe," Aaron explained. "It's really good!"

"Sounds like it." Fuji nodded.

"You should have gotten one, then."

"I can't read French..." Fuji murmured.

Aaron gave him an incredulous look.

"What?"

"Jeez, you must be really distracted about something! There was an English translation under everything."

Fuji glanced down at the menu still in front of him. Sure enough, underneath every french word was its English counterpart.

"Mind telling me what's up, Syusuke?" Aaron looked genuinely concerned for his companion. So much so that Fuji felt bad after replying.

"I'd rather not talk about it...."

To his surprise and relief, Aaron didn't pry. Fuji reminded himself that Aaron was smarter than he let on; he knew when to back off.

"Oh, by the way, where'd you disappear to during the press conference?" Aaron asked.

_Bad change of subject... _Fuji thought bitterly.

"I saw an old teammate...." It wasn't the whole truth, but close enough.

"Teammate?" Gran Louise had returned with the coffee and crèpe along with two glasses of water. Fuji inwardly thanked her for the timely intrusion.

"I used to play tennis," Fuji answered. "Now I'm a photographer," he added in response to the Yates' questioning looks.

"Why'd you quit?" Aaron asked, adding sugar packet after sugar packet to his coffee.

"Um...." Fuji's mind raced. _How can I dodge this one? _"The person I loved played tennis with me."

"Lemmie guess.... It didn't go too well?" Aaron gave him a sympathetic look.

"It ended up being unrequited." _At least I thought so.... I'm not sure about that anymore.... Better not get my hopes up, though...._

Aaron must have noticed Fuji's discomfort with the subject, for he brought up a different one after a signal from Gran Louise, who had moved to wait on table nearby.

"Ah, speaking of unrequited love, Echizen evaded all questions about that and started acting really cold. It happened after ya left, so I thought you'd like to know. In fact, he somehow managed to end the press conference half an hour early. Dunno how he managed to do that, though. All of a sudden it was over."

_I wondered how he reached Tezuka and I so quickly.... _As last night's events came crashing back to him, he had to fight to keep his signature smile on his face.

Oblivious to his friend's misery, Aaron went on.

"Oh, yeah! A couple more things were found out about the U.S. Open!"

"Oh?" Fuji tried to sound interested.

"Well, actually they're rumors, but still!" Aaron paused to pop a bite of crepe into his mouth. "Delicious! Want some?" After Fuji shook his head (he had lost his appetite), the journalist shrugged and went on. "Anyways, I think you'll be interested in this one! Seems as if a bunch of hotshots from Japan are showing up for it!"

"That's...." Fuji tried to search for a word. "Random."

"Eh, I thought so too, until my secret sources informed me that they're Echizen's friends or something." He relinquished his sticky fork for the coffee mug. Fuji secretly wondered how he could drink so much sugar.

"Do you know who they are?" Fuji asked before taking a sip of his coffee. _May as well keep the conversation going._

"Let's see.... Some famous surgeon, a really good chef, a soon-to-be pro tennis guy, and a couple of fashion designers...." Aaron counted off on his fingers. "There's a couple more, but I forgot."

_Tennis? Maybe I've heard of him. _Despite himself, Fuji found he was slightly curious.

"Do you know any of their names?"

"Uhh" Aaron scratched his head as he tried to recall the names. "Oh! The chef's name is Kawamura! Taka-something Kawamura!"

Fuji spat out his coffee, missing Aaron by inches.

"Woah! You okay, buddy?"

"I...know him!" spluttered Fuji.

"Eh? How so?" Aaron dropped the napkin he had been dabbing the tablecloth with.

"We played on the same tennis team in junior high."

_First Tezuka, now Taka-san? _Something Kathy said suddenly popped into his mind.

_"He said something about someone important named Atobe Keigo...."_

_Just _what_ is going on here?_

_

* * *

_Enhael's Comments:

Changed it a bit, didn't I? Told you I might....

Sorry to keep you guys in suspense still. This part was getting a bit long and I needed to stop to do some homework. But I'll have Part 6 up ASAP.

Oh, and sorry about Oishi and Eiji not showing up in the chapter. Don't worry, they'll be here soon. Like, near the beginning of the next chapter, probably. So I didn't forget about them, don't worry!


	7. Invitations and Surprises

Title: Return to the U.S. Open

Author: Enhael

Pairings: Thrill Pair (FujixRyoma? RyomaxFuji? I'll make up my mind soon....)

Disclaimer: I don't own Prince of Tennis or any of its characters. If I did, I would somehow make it sickly sweet. Like Aaron's coffee.  
I do own Kathy (who returns in this chapter) and Aaron (who does not).

Warnings: OOC, Shonen-Ai

Summary: Fuji has become a sports photographer. When he's hired to cover the U.S. Open, he runs into a few familiar faces... Thrill Pair

A/N: Part Six~! I'm pleasantly surprised that people still like this~! And this is up really early because it was ¾ of the way done when I realized I hadn't posted Part Five yet ^^U

* * *

**Return to the U.S. Open**

Part Six: Invitations and Surprises

Enhael

_Atobe seems to have something to do with this.... Should I try to contact him? No.... He wouldn't tell, knowing him. Maybe if I buttered him up a bit...._

"Fuji!" Kathy's harsh voice effectively brought the photographer crashing back to the present. "Were you listening at all?"

"Not really," Fuji admitted distractedly. _It's not like I can say yes. She'll fire me and all my family. Or something equally unnecessary. _

Kathy sighed.

"I'll only repeat myself once. There's going to be a party tonight. Only a select few are invited."

"So?" Normally Fuji wouldn't talk back to his boss, but he was still partially lost in his thoughts. Luckily Kathy made no comment on the matter.

"You got invited."

"Nani?" This caught Fuji's attention. "Doushite?"

"English, Fuji!" Kathy barked.

"Why?"

"They need a photographer." Kathy waved a hand. "Or so they say."

"Nan-- I mean, what do you mean by that?"

"Nothing, nothing," Kathy quickly said.

Fuji opened his eyes just enough to show her he was suspicious. Kathy shuddered, but said nothing, only handed him a heavy envelope with his name in strangely familiar handwriting on the front. A scarlet ribbon around the center of the cream envelope sealed it nicely. Fuji took it gingerly, taking extra care in handling it. Something so fancy didn't come around every day, after all.

"Open it," Kathy ordered once Fuji's gaze turned to the envelope.

"Hai, hai." _I was going to, anyways._

"English, Fuji." Kathy sounded more exasperated than irritated.

Ignoring her, Fuji slid the ribbon off and opened it. Inside was a single sheet of heavy paper. Its edges bore extravagant gold, leaf-like patterns. The same familiar writing was in silver ink. Fuji blinked when he removed it completely. Underneath each English sentence was its Japanese counterpart in much smaller print.

"That's Japanese, right?" Kathy was reading over his shoulder.

"Hai-- I mean yes."

"Well, go on, read it." Fuji laughed inwardly at his boss's failure at keeping the curiosity from her voice. "Stop smirking and read it already!" All curiosity was gone, replaced by fury.

Fuji decided to play it safe and comply without protest.

"'Fuji Syusuke'," he began.

"What's with the last name first?" Kathy frowned slightly.

"You said read it. I'm reading the Japanese version. In Japan you say your last name before your first," Fuji explained before continuing. "'Ore-sama invites you to'--" Fuji suddenly stopped.

"Why'd you stop?"

"'Ore-sama'," Fuji reread the sentence. _No wonder the handwriting looked familiar. It's Atobe's. What a coincidence, I was just thinking about him...._

"What does 'ore-sama' mean, anyway?" Kathy folded her arms and pursed her lips. She was obviously not enjoying having to rely on Fuji for a translation.

"It's an arrogant way of saying 'I'," Fuji replied, trying to keep himself calm. He quickly skimmed the rest of the letter. "It's being held at the Arthur Ashe Stadium!"

"Hey, isn't that the U.S. Open's main tennis stadium(1)?" Kathy looked just as shocked as Fuji felt. "I didn't know you could have parties there!"

"You can't.... Unless you've got some pretty good connections...." _Which Atobe does...._

"I want to go! Why wasn't I invited?" For the first time in the three years he had worked with the hellish woman, Fuji heard a slight wail to her voice. He almost felt sympathetic. Almost. "See if you can bring a date!"

_Damn, I didn't think of that_. He scanned the letter, chewing his lip worriedly. _Please don't say anything about a date...._ Just as that thought ran through his head, the word 'date' caught his eye. His heart sank until he read the full sentence.

"'You may not bring a date. Only ore-sama decides who comes'."

"Arrogant bastard," hissed Kathy. For once, the two agreed on something.

_But I'll have to thank him.... Even if the help was unintentional._

- - -

Upon arriving at the stadium, Fuji reflected on the previous three hours. Kathy had decided the photographer needed help in the fashion department and took it upon herself to provide it.

_Fuji opened his eyes to look at himself in the mirror. Even he had to admit that he looked pretty good._

_The tuxedo he rented (photographers aren't paid that well, after all) consisted of a dark gray Calvin Klein two-button suit over a white collared shirt and platinum vest. His tie (also platinum) was tucked neatly behind the vest. Black round-toe shoes completed the look. (2). Most of his hair was pulled back into a short, low ponytail as per request of Kathy, who was currently admiring her handiwork._

"_I did good, didn't I," she smirked. "Good thing I dragged you to a rental shop. You don't own a single tuxedo!" _

"_Photography doesn't pay well," Fuji replied, tugging lightly at the tie._

"_Don't mess it up!" snapped Kathy. "It's perfect!"_

"_It's tight," protested Fuji. "I'll suffocate!"_

"_One less employee to pay." Kathy grinned wickedly. She suddenly became serious. "Keep your eyes open."  
Fuji blinked. "Why?"_

"_Appearances are everything. Go impress a rich girl!"_

"_Ms. Freeweather...."_

But in the end, Fuji had complied. It was the least he could do after Kathy had spent all that time helping him. However, he was slightly suspicious as to what her motives for doing so sighed inwardly.

_I'm sure to find out soon enough._

"Fuji-senpai...?"

Fuji's heart skipped a beat at the familiar voice. Fighting back the urge to run, he slowly turned to face the object of his affection, a (fake) warm smile on his face.

"Echizen-kun," Fuji greeted his former kohai.

An awkward silence fell upon the two as both recalled the other night's events. Ryoma took it upon himself to break it.

"We should go in."

"A-ah," agreed Fuji. _We _are _just standing at the gates, after all...._

The two walked side-by-side in heavy silence. Fuji didn't like it. The silence, that is. Walking next to Ryoma was perfectly fine. _Better than fine, actually._

"So you will be playing here in three days, eh?" _What a stupid question! _

"Yeah."

"Are you nervous?" Fuji struggled to keep the conversation going.

"Not really."

They fell back into silence until they reached the actual stadium. Ryoma stopped. Fuji gave him a slightly-worried look.

"Buchou was mad at me," Ryoma said after a moment.

"Eh? Why?" _Where did that come from?_

Ryoma watched a fancily-dressed couple enter the stadium, invitations clasped in their hands.

"He said I misunderstood the situation on the night of the press conference." Before Fuji could say a word, Ryoma's eyes met his. The tennis player was clearly furious at the photographer. "I don't believe him."

With that, Ryoma strode into the party, leaving behind a speechless Fuji.

- - -

By the time Fuji had recovered enough to join the party, someone was in the middle of giving a speech. In Japanese.

"Ore-sama has thrown this party for two reasons," the speaker went on. "The first is, of course, because Ore-sama's birthday is coming up. (3)"

Fuji inwardly groaned. _Still the same.... _Fuji was mildly surprised when he noticed he wasn't completely in shock at the appearance of Atobe in America. _Then again, I'm not sure if anything will surprise me any more...._

"The other reason is a reunion match for the Seigaku tennis team!"

"Reunion match for Seigaku?!" he couldn't help himself from yelping. He immediately clapped a hand over his mouth and felt his face heat up as a few giggles were heard. "Gomen..."

"Ah! If it isn't Fuji!" The giggles were silenced by Atobe's cheerful words. "Join ore-sama and your teammates up here!"

There were some whispers in the crowd. Fuji stayed silent as he hesitantly made his way through the groups of people.

_Reunion match? Is he crazy? I know Tezuka and Ryo—Echizen are here, but the others? _

Sure enough, as he neared the makeshift stage he counted eight young men standing slightly behind Atobe.

Tezuka was positioned on the far left. He nodded a greeting to Fuji.

Next to him stood a grinning young man with burgundy hair that curled up at the ends. His dark blue eyes sparkled cheerily as he waved at Fuji and bounced around.

_Eiji?_

The man on Eiji's right was unsuccessfully trying to calm him down. His dark hair was by far shorter than the twin bangs falling above his eyes. Green eyes brightened as Fuji neared them.

_Oishi?_

To Oishi's right was the tallest of the nine men standing on the stage. His spiky black hair was a tad longer than Fuji remembered, but he wore the same reflective glasses as he did in Seigaku. He smiled at Fuji.

_Inui...._

Between Inui and Atobe was a young man with snake-like eyes. His dark hair was a little shorter than before, but the way he was fighting down a smile and his signature hissing sound gave away his identity immediately.

_Kaidou...?_

On Atobe's other side was Ryoma. He avoided Fuji's gaze. He was obviously still mad.

Giving Ryoma a confused look was a violet-eyed young man. Only one person dared to have such a hairstyle as his: combed upwards in a spiky flattop. He caught Fuji's eye and grinned widely.

_Momo?_

Atobe motioned for Fuji to stand next to Momoshiro. Still dazed from the sudden turn of events, he took his place next to the taller man.

Seishun Gakuen's infamous Dream Team stood together in the center of a tennis court for the first time since they won the Nationals.

* * *

Mm, they're back~! Oh, and just to let you all know, they didn't all gather _only _for the reunion match. Or else Fuji would have known about it, ne?

And crap.... Poor Fuji! Why am I so mean to those I love...? -cry-

Next chapter will be the reunion matches! I wonder what the lineup should be.... Any suggestions?

Oh, and the next chapter might not be up for a bit. College visits will lessen my writing time....

1. I'm not making this up, by the way. But I'm pretty sure you can't actually throw a party there.... But it's Atobe we're talking about, so who knows -shrug-

2. This is a real combination I found on a tuxedo rental site. It's pretty awesome-looking, but hard to describe.... xD

3. I think it was October 4th. Currently it's the end of August. (The U.S. Open goes for 2 weeks; the one before and after Labor Day. I did research~!)

Ja ne~!


	8. Games and Names

Title: Return to the U.S. Open

Author: Enhael

Pairings: Thrill Pair

Disclaimer: I don't own Prince of Tennis or any of its characters. All hell would break loose if I did.

Warnings: OOC, Shonen-Ai

Summary: Fuji has become a sports photographer. When he's hired to cover the U.S. Open, he runs into a few familiar faces... Thrill Pair

A/N: Oh. My. Gosh. It's been forever and I apologize to whoever was waiting for this. I have no excuses to offer other than I got distracted with Trauma Team, manga (I want a Demon Eyes Kyo for myself TT_TT), and moping about how I really need to learn how to choose guys properly D:

By the way, Taka-san appeared out of nowhere...for the time being. I'll fix the previous chapter soon.

Reviewers

I heart MANGA and ANIME: Thanks for the suggestions~! I used them as you can tell.

Pri-Chan 1410: I'm glad you like it. Sorry it took so long to update!

Kiriyuu69: You like it that much? Hehe, that makes me happy, even though I feel I don't deserve so much praise xD I apologize (again) for taking so long to update.

**Return to the U.S. Open**

Part Seven: Games and Names

Enhael

"Fujikooo~" squealed Eiji. Apparently he couldn't hold in his delight at seeing his friend any longer. He tackled Fuji who somehow managed to stay upright.

Fuji managed to free an arm so he could pat his energetic friend on the head. Some titters ran through the crowd at the red-haired man's antics.

Oishi sighed as he attempted -and failed- to pry Eiji off of Fuji, who was still in a daze.

"My, my, Ore-sama seems to have surprised you." Atobe smirked smugly.

"You...them..._What the hell?_" was all Fuji could manage to splutter.

"Eh? Fuji-senpai didn't know?" Fuji gave up Momoshiro a blank look. "Guess not..."

"It's a gift," Atobe stated as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "For the brat. A congratulations."

_Come to think of it..._ Fuji glanced over at Ryoma, who seemed much less surprised than Fuji. In fact, the only way Fuji could tell Ryoma was the least bit surprised was the slightest widening of his eyes and the nearly undetectable shake of his hands. _I guess he didn't know either... _He threw another glance towards Atobe who was going on and on about his generosity and the amazing show his guests would see tonight—all thanks to the awe-inspiring Ore-sama. _He's up to something...but what?_

"And with that said, Ore-sama will reveal tonight's lineup." He snapped his fingers and two pieces of paper were brought to him on a silver serving platter.

He examined the first for a moment, frowning slightly at what he saw. He gave Tezuka a look that Fuji just barely managed to catch. Tezuka returned it with a nearly undetectable inclination of his head. Atobe said nothing before picking up the second slip of cream cardstock.

"There seems to have been a sudden change in the lineup. Due to Tezuka Kunimitsu's...former injury, Kawamura Takashi will be taking his place. To match up the players better, there will be other slight changes. The lineup is now as follows." He picked up the second slip of paper and began to read off the names written on it. "The first match will be Momoshiro Takeshi against Kawamura Takashi. After that will be Kaidoh Kaoru against Inui Sadaharu."

Fuji felt something uncomfortable settle in the pit of his stomach. There were only four of them left. Oishi and Eiji were probably playing doubles which meant...

"The last match will be doubles: Kikumaru Eiji and Oishi Syuichiroh versus Fuji Syusuke and Echizen Ryoma."

Fuji inwardly winced. This couldn't possibly end well. Not only would they definitely lose the match due to their current nonexistent teamwork, but he would have to suffer all sorts of dirty looks from the object of his affection. _And _he had two matches (which would take who knows how long) to dwell upon what was to come.

"Ore-sama has also kindly provided the players with uniforms greatly resembling those used during their Seishun Gakuen days. After they change in the waiting rooms, the games shall begin. Until then, enjoy Ore-sama's party."

The microphone was turned off amidst clapping and a few giggles. Fuji, realizing this was the perfect opportunity to get some much needed answers from Atobe, was about to make a beeline for the dramatic man when Eiji pounced once more.

"Eiji..." Fuji forced himself to be patient with his friend. "I need to ask Atobe some ques-"

"Let's go, Fujiko! I can't wait to play you and Ochibi!"

And there was nothing Fuji could do but follow his old teammates into the room awaiting them.

The first match—mostly consisting of raw power from both Momo and Taka-san—had resulted in Momo's win (6-4) and many gasps and cheers from the onlookers. However, Fuji had to admit that the second one was more captivating. Although Kaidoh and Inui were definitely a bit slower, they still remembered each others strengths and weaknesses. It was an awe-inspiring match, finally ending with a win for Kaidoh after an intense tiebreak.

But as exciting as that had been, the minute it ended, Fuji was currently more interested in how he was going to survive the doubles match. Especially with a hostile partner, how nervous he was, and how calm, confident, and obviously synchronized the Golden Pair was. It wasn't just about losing the match. It was about how things with Ryoma would definitely go downhill from here on.

The first game ended with zero points for Ryoma and Fuji. Despite both of their actual skill, their lack of teamwork kept them from scoring. During the second game, Ryoma managed to get two points from his improved twist serve, but the Golden Pair easily adapted to its sharper angle. The third ended with another love game.

Fuji and Ryoma were getting a quick gulp of water when Tezuka gave Fuji a look and a nod. Fuji understood and glanced over at Ryoma, who was pointedly ignoring the two of them, before making his way over to Tezuka.

"Fuji. Pull yourself together." Tezuka's voice was stern.

Fuji forced out a fake laugh.

"I know, don't get careless, right?"

Tezuka frowned. "I'm not talking about the match." And with that, he walked away.

_He wants me to work things out with Ryoma, eh? Hah. How am I supposed to do that, huh, Tezuka?_

"You done?"

Fuji winced at Ryoma's harsh tone.

"Ne, Echizen. Can we talk?" he ventured.

"No."

Ryoma stalked off to his position. Sighing, Fuji followed. _What was Tezuka thinking? This is impossible. He'll just avoid or ignore whatever I say... Wait. He can't avoid _or _completely ignore me if we're in the middle of a match. _He inwardly thanked Tezuka around twenty times before serving.

"Ne, Echizen," he said again, successfully returning a ball. "it really was a misunderstanding."

He heard Ryoma snort behind him.

"Right."

"No, really. It was." He let the next ball go past him. It was on Ryoma's side of the court. "I don't see why you won't believe me-"

"Shut _up_ already!"

The hostile snarl caused Fuji to trip, missing the ball and falling on his rear.

"E-echizen...?"

The younger man was furious.

"You love playing with people's lives, don't you?" he continued, voice rising with every word.

"Echi-"

"First you give me a fake confession in junior high, then you avoid me all through high school! And now _this_? You piss me off!" Ryoma was positively livid now. And he wasn't done yet.

"Ech-"

"You piss me off!" he yelled again. "So much! But you know what? I can't hate you! The hell is _that_?"

"Ryoma!" Fuji finally yelled, effectively quieting the man who now looked close to tears.

"...What did you call me?"

"Ryoma! I'll say it again and again until you don't care if I call you that! Ryoma, Ryoma, Ryoma!" Fuji vaguely saw Eiji's mouth drop and Oishi blink worriedly, but he didn't care. Not even the whispers of the crowd mattered anymore. He rose to his feet, glaring back at the young man. "And then someday you might actually _want _to be called that by me!"

"...do." Ryoma's voice was barely audible.

"What?" Fuji asked, lowering his volume a bit.

"I do."

_What? What does he mean by that?_

Ryoma looked up at him with eyes brimming with tears.

"I _do _want you to call me Ryoma! And I want to call you Syusuke, too!"

Um, yeah. That was pretty lame xD

Uh, the story's almost over. Just two chapters left (one being an Epilogue...probably.)

Sorry again that it took so long (and was this lame xD)

Ja ne~


	9. Important Notice

Err, so... As you can tell already, this isn't actually a chapter.

In fact, I'm sorry to say there may not be any more chapters of Return to the U.S. Open.

But not to worry (if you were xD) because:

**Return to the U.S. Open is currently being rewritten and will be posted as Thanks to the U.S. Open starting sometime late this week.**

That's basically what this update is about, but if you want to know why it's being rewritten or some of the details about Thanks to the U.S. Open, keep reading.

I realized that Return to the U.S. Open was inconsistent, had too many loose ends, and had too many things going on at once. As it's too late to backtrack/fix things and I have no clue how to finish it as it is, I thought the best solution would be to do a rewrite.

Thanks to the U.S. Open will follow the same plot, most (if not all) characters will return (including Kathy and Aaron), but some stuff will be cut out and others will be added. Hopefully this will improve the story somewhat. I cannot guarantee that all of the regulars will return, but all will be at least mentioned. And I will update more consistently for Thanks to the U.S. Open.

I apologize once more for Return to the U.S. Open's discontinuation, but I do hope that those of you who liked it will at least give Thanks to the U.S. Open a try...

See you later this week.

~ Enhael


	10. Thanks Chapter 1

'Ellow, everyone! It hasn't been that long, eh?

Well, in case you didn't know (which you probably didn't), the first chapter of **Thanks to the U.S. Open **(if you forgot, that's the rewrite to "Return to the U.S. Open") is up, so do check it out if you'd like ^^

Er, I guess that's about it...

Ja ne~

~ Enhael


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